


Swimming In Hope and Despair

by Dangobango



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hinata Hajime is in Class 77, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Amnesia, Attempt at Humor, Eventual Romance, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hinata Hajime and Kamukura Izuru Share a Body Simultaneously, Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito-centric, Human Experimentation, Jabberwock Island (Dangan Ronpa), Kamukura Izuru Project | Hope Cultivation Plan, M/M, Sirens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:06:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27518851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dangobango/pseuds/Dangobango
Summary: What if Hope's Peak Academy had performed a different kind of experiment on Hajime Hinata?Hajime's fear of the ocean is overcome by what's been wired into him. With his life and identity left up in the air, the reborn Hajime relies on his closest friend Nagito, who inadvertently shows him something bigger than himself.
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito, Kamukura Izuru/Komaeda Nagito
Comments: 67
Kudos: 168





	1. Thalassophobia

**Author's Note:**

> Heavily inspired by the TV show 'Siren' (which I highly recommend)

“C’mon, man, you’re on a school trip to an  _ island  _ and you’re not gonna go swimming  _ once?”  _ Kazuichi asked in disbelief.

“I told you I’m afraid of the ocean,” Hajime replied with a laugh.

“Can’t believe this… alright, I’ll stop bothering you about it if you tell me how you got into the main department!”

“I don’t remember how, how many times have I told you that now?”

“Bull,” he said playfully. “Whatever, man, you’re missing out!” Kazuichi ran off and jumped right in the clear water.

Hajime heard his classmates screaming and laughing as they played on the beach together and looked on with a smile. He liked seeing his friends have fun, even though he knew he was just an outsider looking in at the end of the day. They were all better than him. All his classmates were Ultimates, talented students handpicked by the prestigious Hope’s Peak Academy themselves. Hajime didn’t have a talent of his own, and he had only been a Reserve Course ‘average’ student until he was allowed into the main department with his now-current classmates. He just wished he knew how he did it.

Hajime shook his head. He had already spent too much time thinking about it, and they had only just gotten to Jabberwock Island, their temporary home, two days ago. He looked around to see if there was anything he can do to occupy himself for the day. His eyes stopped at the person he considered his closest friend, Nagito, sitting down under a palm tree. He walked over to him.

“You’re not swimming either, Nagito?” Hajime asked.

“Ah, no, it’s a bit too dangerous for my liking,” Nagito replied.

“Afraid of the ocean too, huh?”

“I just fear the worst will happen at any time,” he said with a smile.

_ ‘That face is convincing,’  _ Hajime thought sarcastically.

“You mind if I sit by you?”

“Oh, of course!” 

Nagito scooted over and offered Hajime room under the shade.

“Thanks,” Hajime said as he sat down.

The two sat in content silence for a bit. Hajime glanced over.

“Aren’t you hot in that jacket?” he asked. “Don’t you wanna take it off?”

“Oh, well, it’s actually a coat, not a jacket,” Nagito clarified.

“Okay, a coat, doesn’t that make it worse?”

“I need to wear it because my body’s too thin to keep warm by itself,” he explained.

“Ah, alright.”  _ ‘That doesn’t make much sense, but okay’. _

“Hey, Hajime?”

“Huh?”

“I know everyone’s probably asked you about it already, so you don’t have to answer, but what exactly do you do that warrants you being here?”

“Warrants me being here?”

“You’re average, right?”

“I mean, yeah.”

“So how are you here with Ultimates?”

_ ‘That’s kinda harsh,'  _ Hajime thought.

“I guess I can tell you what I do know, ‘cause I don’t think you’ll tell anyone,” Hajime decided.

“You want me to keep a secret?” Nagito asked, sitting upright at this.

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

“Not like I have anyone to tell,” he chuckled. “No one but you would even bother listening to someone like me.”

“Right... Anyway, if I had to guess what happened, I think they’re testing some kind of drug on me.”

“Drug?”

“Yeah, really, the only thing I have to go off on are these injections I need to take every night.”

“Is that why your arm’s bandaged?”

“Yeah,” Hajime nodded. 

“Huh… think it’s a memory-erasing drug, then? They’re trying to figure out how to warp memories?” Nagito said with a bit of a smirk.

“Stop, that thought freaks me out,” Hajime laughed, playfully pushing his arm.

Nagito laughed too. 

“What else could it be? Is there anything different you notice in yourself?”

“No, not really… oh God, what if they are messing with my memories?”

“They’re probably not taking your memories. If they were, they’d try to make you forget important things, like your name or your birthday,” Nagito explained.

“I guess you’re right…”

The two sat in silence for another minute before Hajime decided he needed to break it.

“Hey, do you…”  _ Quick, think of something to do. ” _ ...wanna build a sandcastle?”  _ Idiot. _

Contrary to Hajime’s mind, Nagito’s eyes lit up.

“Really?”

“Y-yeah, why not? We’re already sitting in the sand, so,” Hajime shrugged.

“I’ve never done it before, so I’ll probably just end up knocking it down somehow,” Nagito sighed.

“C’mon, I’ll show you.” Hajime stood up and offered his hand. Nagito smiled as he took it and stood up.

“Let’s do it over here,” Hajime pointed farther from the shore. Nagito understood and nodded.

“Alright.”

~~

After Hajime and Nagito spent the day together, the sun was almost gone and the nighttime bell rang. Everyone began to head back to their cottages to sleep for the night. The two of them were walking together, and Nagito wrapped his coat around himself tighter.

“Cold?” Hajime asked.

“Yeah,” Nagito replied. “The sun’s set now, so there’s really not any warmth.”

“Right.”

A soft hum ran through Hajime’s head.

“Huh?” He turned around to its source. It was coming from… the ocean? He heard another sound, but this one was louder, more clear. It sounded almost like a voice calling out. He looked onward, focusing on the clear waves and searching for anything that may have caused the sound. Before long, though, his mind went blank. His eyes glazed over and the melodic voice rang through his head once more. His heartbeat slowed and everything around him faded away. There was nothing but a feeling of being lighter than air. He was at peace. He was right where he belonged. 

“Hajime?”

He jumped a little before turning back around. He saw that Nagito was several paces ahead of him.

“Are you okay?” Nagito asked.

“Yeah, I, uh, just thought I heard something.”

“Oh, alright. Are you still coming?”

“Yeah.”

~~

Hajime had said his goodbyes to Nagito and shut his cottage door. He let out a dramatic sigh. 

_ ‘What was that all about?’  _ He asked himself.  _ ‘I’m afraid of the ocean, so why did I feel so calm?’ _

Hajime shrugged it off and got ready for bed. He changed his clothes and brushed his teeth before going over to the case that held his injections. He took out a new syringe and sat on his bed. He tapped the crook of his arm a few times to arouse the vein before injecting himself with the mystery drug. He then threw the empty syringe away in a bag quaintly labeled ‘biohazard’. 

He still questioned the reasoning behind giving him something that needed to be injected into him without being told what it was, but it’s what the school told him needed to be done, so who was he to object? He laid down, planning to clock in for the night.

Hajime typically drifted off to sleep by thinking more about what the injections are and what cool effects they may have on him, but today he laid awake haunted. 

_ ‘Why can’t I stop thinking about that noise? It might have just been some weird wave coming in. I’m probably hearing things, maybe it’s just my fear of the ocean talking-‘ _

He sat upright in bed.

“That’s it! I’m telling myself to get over my fear of the ocean!” Hajime chuckled a little. “Maybe I’m taking some kind of bravery potion.”

Hajime got up and immediately ran out the door.

~~

Hajime made it down to the beach and looked around. There was no one there that could see him. 

_ ‘At least I can spare myself the embarrassment,’  _ he thought. He didn’t want his clothes to get wet, so he stripped down to his briefs. He walked up the pier and stopped right at the edge.

Hajime looked out as far as he could see. His eyes met nothing but the clear blue sea. He could hardly imagine how far out or how deep it goes. He instinctively froze up in fear, but he forced himself to keep looking. He moved his eyes down until he saw the waves swaying right below him. 

“It’s just some water, Hajime. You can go into pools, you can take baths, this is the same thing,” he told himself in an attempt at motivation. He took a breath and tried to jump in, but stopped his legs just short and stepped back. He huffed in frustration.

“Maybe I just need a running start,” Hajime mumbled. He backed up off the pier. He took a slow deep breath and ran as fast he could, not giving himself time to stop from diving in. 

Hajime’s entire body submerged in the salty water. The coldness shocked his nerves and he tensed up. He slowly opened his eyes. He thought they would sting, but it was painless. He looked around in awe. 

The ocean was just as clear under as it was over. Despite the darkness of the day, Hajime’s sight was unhindered. There were plants swaying gently and fish swimming past him leisurely. Everything was so colorful and pure; so many things gleamed and glittered, something was striking everywhere you looked. It was another world just as lively as the one he knew. A part of him felt he could stay forever.

Hajime felt a need to come up for air, but right as he tried to swim upward, he jolted. Pain shot all throughout his body and he curled in on himself. He tried to scream, but he couldn’t even hear himself. He felt his chest rip itself apart, leaving open slits. His bones cracked and shifted around, and his legs felt like they were being forced together. He grabbed at his head, fearing that it might explode.

He could barely see anything besides long black hair until his consciousness turned to black itself.


	2. Beached

The morning bell rang at 8:00 AM like it did every day. All the students agreed on their first day on the island that they would meet in the restaurant for breakfast every morning. Everyone left their cottages at their own pace, so their meeting time usually turned into about 8:30. However, by that time, someone was missing from their group.

“Are we ready to eat yet? I’m starvin’!” Akane cried out, childishly banging on the table.

“Hold on a moment.” Their appointed leader, Byakuya, quickly did a headcount. “We still are missing one person.”

“Who?”

“We’re missing Hajime,” Nagito told him. 

“Really? He’s not the type to sleep in… Nagito, will you go check on him?” Chiaki asked.

“Yeah.”

Nagito stood up from his table and walked out of the restaurant. He walked down to Hajime’s cottage and knocked on the door.

“Hajime? You’re late for breakfast.” No answer. He knocked on the door louder. “Hajime?” He tried to open the door, which obeyed. “Huh?” He walked inside. “Hajime?” He called once again. He looked around, and Hajime was nowhere to be seen. His bathroom door was even open, and he wasn’t inside. “What? Where could he have gone?” He walked out of there, clueless.

Nagito walked down to the beach. He remembered Hiyoko saying something about going on morning walks, so he thought to see if Hajime jumped on the trend. It was then he noticed something lying on the sand. 

“Huh?” He walked over to the spot it laid, right by the pier. He froze in place once he realized what exactly was there. Hajime’s clothes were there on the shore, becoming coated in sand. His shirt, his pants, and even his tie. “W-why would this be here?” 

Nagito looked around for any more clues and set his sights on a pair of footprints. It seemed like they walked backward away from the pier a few feet but then turned around back towards it. 

“The prints only go back this far, then continue back to where they came from…” Nagito’s heart stopped once he realized what probably happened. “He… he jumped in. H-he jumped in and… and he never came back.” He shuddered and wrapped his coat around himself tighter, but he knew it wasn’t from the cold this time. He picked up Hajime’s shirt and clutched it to his chest. 

“It’s… it’s all my fault, isn’t it?” Nagito shook his head. “No, now’s not the time for a pity party. They’re all waiting for me back at the restaurant.” He got up off his knees and walked back.

Nagito walked up the stairs back to the restaurant. He gulped before turning the handle and walking in.

“Ah, you’re back,” Byakuya said, giving Nagito a small nod.

“Finally! I was about to eat a table!” Akane exclaimed.

“You already ate a whole ham…” Chiaki reminded her.

“Where ya been? Where’s Hajime?”

“I couldn’t find him. I looked all over the island. But…” Nagito’s hands trembled as he held up Hajime’s sand-crusted shirt. “I found his clothes on the beach, right by the pier.”

“You don’t think he tried to swim, do you? He’s afraid of the ocean, so why would he go in it?” Kazuichi piped up. 

“I actually do think that. Last night on our way back to our cottages, he stopped and stared at the ocean for a while. It was like he was hypnotized.”

“Wait, are you saying he might have gone in the ocean and ended up drowning?” 

The entire restaurant fell into dead silence. Everyone looked at each other, desperate for someone to break it.

“Hajime’s... d-dead?” Mikan stuttered before she began bawling.

Her outburst became the catalyst to everyone else’s. They all started to talk over each other, debating if Hajime had actually died. Some refused to believe it, while others were already thinking of preparing a memorial. It’s unclear how it happened, but an omelet was thrown across the table and landed on the floor beyond it.

“Everyone be quiet!” Byakuya shouted over everyone else. 

“What are we gonna do? He can’t possibly be dead, can he?” Kazuichi asked.

“Hu-wha?! A student dead under my watch?!” Usami jumped into both the restaurant and the conversation. “I can’t believe something so tragic would happen here…” she sniffled, using her ‘paw’ to wipe away non-existent snot. “Nagito, are you sure you checked everywhere?”

“I only looked around the central island, and I’m not sure why he’d wanna go anywhere else,” Nagito replied.

“I see…” Usami thought for a moment, tapping her chin. Her tall ears suddenly twitched then she perked up. “Okay, everyone, new plan! You all split into teams of three and go search the other islands, and I’ll keep watch here in case Hajime comes back! Does that sound good?”

Everyone looked around at each other and agreed, some more reluctantly than others. It can be assumed that, even as aloof as some of them were, none of them wanted a classmate to die. Everyone split themselves into teams, and by the end of it, Nagito ended up with Chiaki and Byakuya. Byakuya tasked themselves with searching the 5th island, the military base. 

~~

The three of them made their way to the military base, surrounded by more equipment than they could name. Nagito hadn’t let go of Hajime’s shirt since he had first picked it up at the beach. Chiaki noticed that and got an idea.

“Do you think there is any sort of technology that can track him down? Like a mechanical police dog that can sniff him out?” she suggested.

“We already have one of those, it’s named Usami,” Byakuya replied. “But even she didn’t seem to have any idea where he is.”

“Usami’s a bunny, though,” she corrected.

“Hey! Hajime!” Nagito called out. “You out there?”

“You missed breakfast!” Chiaki added.

Byakuya led them into the warehouse. There wasn’t much to find in there, mostly cardboard boxes with various labels.

“Surely he isn’t intentionally hiding from us or doing something behind our backs,” he thought aloud.

“Maybe it has something to do with how he got into the main department?” Chiaki asked.

“Usami would have known where he was if that were true. And she certainly wouldn’t think he’s dead.”

_Dead._ Again that word hit Nagito’s ears. He looked down at Hajime’s shirt in his hands. The idea that this could be all that’s left of him was enough to make him tear up. 

_‘It’s all my fault. He got too close to me and now he’s paid the price. He let himself get killed by scum like me… no, he didn’t ask for that. I forced it onto him. I shouldn’t have let him in. I should have just pushed him away. He’d still be here and not have to face me… fate is beyond a cruel mistress.’_

“He’s not here,” Byakuya declared. “We should head back to the central island and see if anyone else has had better luck.”

_‘Yeah… better luck.’_

~~

After about an hour, everyone had reassembled at the restaurant. 

“Did Hajime ever come back?” Nagito asked Usami. She shook her head.

“None of you found him either?” She asked. Everyone looked around at each other silently. “Oh no… I have to report back to the school that he’s missing.”

“He’s fuckin’ dead, that’s what he is!” Fuyuhiko snapped.

“Do not say that! There is still hope! We will not believe that until we find his corpse!” Sonia declared.

“Well, that got dark really quick,” Mahiru muttered.

“We looked everywhere, he’s totally MIA!” Akane replied.

“Please calm down!” Usami cried over the growing argument. “... there will be no work today. I think we all need some time. Class dismissed.” She left the restaurant.

All the students were now alone once again. Several were visibly holding back tears while the rest seemed to be looking everywhere but at each other.

“Do you guys think… we should prepare a memorial for him?” Chiaki asked everyone. “We all cared about him, I think it’s only respectful,” Chiaki added. The only response she got was a few nods. “Mahiru, do you happen to have a photo of him?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I took photos of everyone,” she replied. She took the camera hanging from her neck and checked the roll. “Yeah, I got one. It’s… a really nice one, too. I just need to get it developed.”

“I will part the River Styx to ensure he has a peaceful arrival to the afterlife!” Gundham announced, his voice shaking.

“... thanks, Gundham,” Chiaki said. “I’m sure he appreciates it. We’ll all do our part.”

Everyone left the restaurant pretty quickly after that, some going back to their cottages and others gathering things to place by his memorial. Mahiru came back with the developed photo of Hajime in a frame. She placed it on a small table and moved it towards the wall. She sighed when she looked at it. Hajime had a big grin on his face as he stood under a palm tree, shielding his eyes from the sun. 

“Excuse me.”

Nagito moved past Mahiru and placed Hajime’s tie in front of the picture. 

“Why are you putting that there?” She asked.

“Well, it’s really the only memento we have left of him,” he replied.

“I guess that’s true.”

Chiaki came by with the ribbon to put over his picture. Gundham and Sonia each put a candle on the opposite sides. The five of them stood back and looked at the tribute they put together. They were the only ones there to admire it.

~~

Nighttime came around, but nobody felt time go by. It was the most surreal thing any of them had ever experienced. Who could have expected a classmate dying so suddenly? The only five who stayed at the restaurant, Nagito, Chiaki, Mahiru, Gundham, and Sonia, dispersed wordlessly when the announcement came on. 

Nagito walked back to his cottage and shut the door. He finally let the tears he had been holding back all day burst out. He fell to his knees and sobbed. His first real friend had _died_. All because of him. He was selfish enough to let him get close, knowing full well the consequences. It wasn’t the first time someone Nagito cared for had died, and yet he let it happen. How could he do that to Hajime? How could he let his arrogance get the better of him? Hajime was a beautiful person, inside and out, and trash like Nagito was his downfall. How unlucky.

Nagito laid down onto his bed and let himself cry into Hajime’s shirt. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” he murmured over and over, like a mantra. “I wish I could take it all back. It should’ve been me. It should have been me _every time._ ” He couldn’t fall asleep until his body wore itself out from crying.

~~

The waves of the ocean nudged against the shore rhythmically. The soft breeze harmonized with the sounds of the rushing water. Shimmering stars adorned the dark sky like a natural bracelet. There couldn’t be a more perfect night, one more peaceful and undisturbed. That is, until a webbed hand burst forth from the water, clawing at the sand. 

The prodding hand was joined by its counterpart, tugging at the sand and pulling its owner up out of the ocean depths. A creature with long black hair and red eyes rose from the water; its top half humanoid and the bottom half that of a fish, a tail decorated with crimson scales. It turned over on its back and breathed heavily. It seems as though it’s traveled a long way to reach the island’s shore. It squirmed around a bit before sitting up the best it could and moving its hands down to its hips. It pulled on the edges of its tail and let out a strangled cry as it ripped it off, revealing a pair of human legs. The creature evidently took on the form of a human male. He pushed the remains of his tail back into the ocean and looked back. 

He could see trees and other plants close by, but in the distance, he saw some things he had never seen before. Structures bigger and much more elaborate than any cave or reef he’s ever seen. He struggled to move in that direction, holding his legs as he turned. He very slowly tried to stand, wobbling and almost losing his balance multiple times. Once he had gotten used to being on two legs, he took shaky steps and moved towards the buildings.

The creature looked around, wondering which one he should go to first. The biggest one had a giant yellow sign on top of it; it was definitely the most obvious. He approached it and jumped back when the doors opened by themselves. Once he realized what happened, he walked in. 

The ceiling lights came on and he hissed at the sudden brightness, covering his head and bending down. He looked back up and was surrounded by so many different items on display. He wandered through the aisles and touched anything that caught his eye. 

Eventually, he found a snow globe with an oceanic theme. It had light blue water and a plastic coral reef inside. Glass fish were attached to it by a string. He picked it up and startled when the fish quivered. He shook it and they appeared to swim. He put it down before his mind wandered back to his first memory.

_The creature’s eyes opened and all he could see was a blur with shadows beyond it. He put his hand out, but it stopped against a hard surface. He looked and saw that his fingers were webbed and attached to each other. A human stepped forth and they were able to make his eyes focus on them. They had a triumphant grin on their face. They turned around towards the other shadows and slapped their hand against the surface. The creature covered his ears, shielding himself from the loud noise. The human turned back around and their mouth moved as if to communicate, but he couldn’t understand what was happening. He was too scared. He could barely move around in the space he was in. He was feeling so much all at once. Hearing, seeing, touching,_ sensing. 

The creature heard shuffling and turned to its source. He lurched back once he saw what made the noise.

“Um, excuse me, but who are y-- _eeeek!_ W-why are you naked?!” Usami cowered. The creature growled and pounced on her. Usami screamed and rolled around, trying to force him off. She then reached for her prized magic stick and bonked him on the head. He stumbled back, laying on the floor and rubbing his forehead with a surprised expression.

“Now just _what_ do you think you’re doing?! Violence is never the…” she trailed off. Despite his long hair, Usami was able to quickly recognize his facial features. “... Hajime? Is that you?!” She ‘grinned’ as best as she could before jumping up and down in excitement. “It is! It’s really you! Hey, wait, where did you run off to?!” Her glee quickly became anger. “You scared the bejesus out of everyone, they even set up a memorial for you!”

Hajime just stared back at her with a blank expression.

“Answer me, Hajime! Hold on, are your eyes red? Have you been using drugs, young man?!” Again, no response. “I guess that might explain your odd behavior… okay, you know what? We’ll talk about this in the morning! You must be exhausted. Eek, I just remembered you’re naked! Um, okay, well… ah-ha!” She hopped up on a mannequin and took off its clothes with relative ease. She ended up with a Hawaiian-style button-up and beach shorts.

“Ta-da!” She presented the clothes to Hajime, who looked at them with intrigue. He had never seen anything like them before. “Alrighty, here you go!” She tossed them over to him and he caught them. He was confused about what to do, so he threw them back. “Hey!” She threw the clothes back to him, and he threw them back in return. They went like this a few more times. “This isn’t a game, you’re supposed to put them on!” She huffed. “Gotta do everything myself…” 

Usami jumped up on Hajime, who gawked at her with wide eyes, waiting for her next move. She pushed his arms out and shrugged the shirt over his shoulders. He looked at the article of clothing in awe. Usami scooted down and closed her eyes as she pulled the shorts up his legs. 

“There we go! All better!” Usami chirped. “Come on, let’s get you to bed!” She tugged on Hajime’s arm but comically dangled off of it once he stood up again. He bent back down and let her off. “Thank you.” She led him back to his cottage. “I do like what you did with your hair, it’s very pretty.” 

They walked into his cottage together.

“Do you need to be tucked in?” Usami asked. Hajime was too busy looking around. Usami scoffed and gently pushed him on the bed. “There.” She put the blanket over him before he could squirm away. “Get some sleep. Good night, Hajime!” She turned around to leave, but then Hajime made a noise in his throat. “Huh?” He was sitting up and looking at her. He did it again. She walked back over to his bed.

“Um, do you need somethin- oh!”

Hajime reached out to her and nuzzled his cheek against hers. 

“Oh, that’s, um, that’s very nice, thank you.” Hajime immediately put the blanket back over him and closed his eyes. “I’ll come back and get you tomorrow, okay? Good night, again.”

Usami walked out of his cottage and shut the door. 

“What in the world happened to him while he was gone?”


	3. Exposure Therapy

_Chick-chuck._

The monitor on the corner of the room turned itself on. Hajime jolted awake at the noise.

_“Goood morning, everyone! Let’s all get up and go about our day with a smile! Love love!”_ the prerecorded announcement played with Usami on the screen. Hajime’s eyes went wide and he growled at the monitor, thinking it had trapped her. He reached up and pulled it off the wall with relative ease before smashing it on the floor. 

When the monitor was nothing but scraps of metal, Hajime looked around and explored his room. 

“Wakey-wakey!” Usami knocked on Hajime’s door before walking in. “Are you ready to face the da- wha- Hajime!” She said in shock. “Why is the monitor broken?!”

Hajime had managed to put his pants, shoes, and shirt on, although the shirt was unbuttoned. He looked over at her and gasped. 

“Yay, you’re dressing yourself! Can you do the buttons?” Usami asked.

He bent down and picked up pieces of the monitor, looking at her again. He nodded and let the pieces fall from his hands.

“Um… do you need help again?” Usami hopped over to him. “I can’t really do it for you because I don’t have fingers, but I can show you!” She used gestures with her hands to explain how to button the shirt. When he tried it for himself, he was intrigued by the way the buttons attached to themselves. He kept doing it until the shirt was buttoned, then looked pleased with the results. 

“Okay, now ties are hard…” she mumbled. She did her best to illustrate for him, and surprisingly, he caught on perfectly. “Wow, good job, Hajime! I’m proud of you!”

Hajime looked back at her. His facial expression didn’t change in the slightest.

“So, um, you think you’re okay to see your friends again? I’m sure they’ll be ecstatic to see you!” Usami chirped. “We can take things slow if you still don’t feel so well, but I think you should still go! Come on, follow me!”

Usami went back to the cottage door and pushed it open. Hajime followed Usami as she walked over to the restaurant.

“They all should be there by now,” Usami thought aloud.

Usami made it to the stairs at the side of the hotel and began hopping up. Hajime glanced down at them with a confused expression. He saw what Usami was doing and started hopping up the stairs too. She looked back and started laughing.

“You silly goose! Hopefully that means you’re in good spirits!” They made it to the top of the stairs. “Okay, now listen up, Hajime. I want you to be nice to everyone. I know it might a little confusing at first, but they are still your friends, okay? Be. Nice,” she enunciated.

“Be… nice…” He slowly repeated, his voice now deeper and breathier than it was before. Usami perked up, as this was the first time he spoke since she found him.

“That’s right!” She replied.

Usami reached up to grab the doorknob, but Hajime turned and opened it first. 

“Thank you, sir,” Usami nodded and walked in, Hajime following. “Everyone, I have amazing news!” She called out. 

Hajime walked in and froze solid when he saw what was in the restaurant. Several other creatures like him, all paying attention to Usami. He hid behind the corner, pondering his next move.

“What news?” Byakuya asked.

“Hajime is alive!” Usami chirped, jumping up and down.

Everyone went up in cheers. Some were confused but still allowed the joy. Nagito, in particular, had never felt more ecstatic in his life. As much as he knew this was his luck cycle moving along again, he was more than willing to accept it in this case. Now that he knew he didn’t cause Hajime to die, his despair quickly converted into almost overwhelming hope. He couldn’t help but applaud, as ridiculous as it seemed.

“Where was he?” he asked Usami.

“About that…” she began. “I found him in the Rocketpunch Market in the middle of the night and he, well… let’s just say he’s not quite himself right now. He’s not feeling the best, so please everyone be nice to him! I just thought it was important to tell you all immediately!” She declared. 

“And where is he now?” Byakuya asked.

“What do you mean, he’s right--” she turned around. “Hajime! Come here!”

Hajime peeked around the corner and Usami beckoned him with her hand. He glanced back at the rest of the students before slowly coming out. He looked around at everyone, who all visibly tensed as they looked back at him. They began murmuring among themselves.

“Hajime, what… happened to you, man?” Kazuichi was the first to talk directly to him. Hajime looked back blankly. “Uh, okay then…”

“Whooaaaa, Hajime turned emo overnight!” Ibuki said with a wide grin. She skipped over to him. “I like ya cut, g! Where’d you get the wig?” She reached her hand and tugged on his hair lightly. Hajime’s eyes went wide. He hissed and grabbed her wrist, twisting it and pulling it down. Several of their classmates gasped in horror. _“Owowowowowowowowowowowowow!”_ Ibuki cried out before pulling her hand away. “What the heck, Hajime?!” 

“Hajime!” Usami marched over and bonked him with her magic stick. “Totally unacceptable, young man! What happened to being nice?!”

While Usami was scolding him, everyone else’s faces turned from confusion to fear. Hajime ignored her and looked around. Some of the other students hid their faces while others couldn’t bring themselves to look away. Nagito looked on in awe. How was _this_ the Hajime he had come to know? Maybe this is where the _true_ bad luck kicks in...

“So this is what becomes of a man who narrowly escapes the jaws of death,” Gundham stated.

“Um, should he go to the hospital? I think he’s gone mental,” Kazuichi said, glancing over at Mikan.

“And me too,” Ibuki added.

“H- _waah,_ d-don’t look at me! I-I can’t h-handle a patient like this!” Mikan shrieked and held her arms up in front of her, shaking where she stood. Hajime looked over at her and tilted his head. He began approaching her, and she only cowered more. When he made it over to her, he quickly grabbed the collar of her dress and looked under it. Mikan screamed again and covered herself, trying to run away before bumping against the edge of a table and falling down.

“Hey, what makes you think you can just treat girls this way?!” Mahiru scolded. “First Ibuki, now Mikan?”

“Yeah, what the fuck is wrong with you?!” Fuyuhiko barked loudly. 

Hajime looked over at him and huffed. 

“Be… nice…” he echoed Usami from earlier.

“Are you fuckin’ serious?! You’re telling _me_ to be nice after you just assaulted several people, you bastard?!”

Hajime sensed his hostility and pounced on him first. Fuyuhiko was taken aback but composed himself quickly enough to put up a fight. Everyone who wasn’t already standing hastily got up from their seats. A couple of them tried to pry them off of each other but to no avail. It was when Hajime tried to choke Fuyuhiko that Peko unsheathed her sword and took a swing. 

Her attack only left a minimal cut on Hajime’s cheek. Hajime looked over at her then got off of Fuyuhiko. He and Peko had a brief staredown before she swung her sword towards him again. No one could believe their eyes when Hajime managed to duck under it and push her hard enough so that she could fall over a table. 

“Oh, man, he’s become a hell of a fighter! Why don’t you take him on, Nekomaru?” Akane suggested, elbowing him.

“Seems like that’s the only thing I can do,” he decided with a nod. He started to walk over but stopped in his tracks.

“ _Please stop!_ ” Usami cried out desperately. She walked over and gripped Hajime’s leg as hard as she could. “You are going to the hospital _right now!_ I can _not_ let this go on!” She shouted at him. She pulled on his leg and, to everyone’s surprise, he followed.

“He… still listens to Usami?” Ibuki said, massaging her wrist.

“I still wanna know what the _fuck_ happened to him!” Kazuichi cried. A few of them murmured in agreement.

“I guess I should go, too,” Mikan whined before turning to follow them. 

“Don’t forget me!” Ibuki skipped over. “Wait, wait, wait! Before I go, everyone, I have something to say!” They all turned to look at her. “It wasn’t a wig!”

“Wow. Thanks,” Fuyuhiko rolled his eyes.

“Hey, it’s important! Maybe the spiky hair was the wig all along! This is a _conspiracy,_ I tell you!” 

“I’ll go with you two,” Nagito told Mikan.

“H-huh? Why?” 

“Hajime’s my friend. I wanna be there for him.”

“That’s… very sweet of you,” Mikan said with a small smile. 

Nagito nodded and smiled back at her. The three of them left the restaurant.

“Alright, death-wishers, you have fun,” Kazuichi muttered.

~~

They all made it to the third island where the hospital was. It wasn’t until they were all at the door that Hajime turned around and jolted at the sight of Ibuki.

“AAH! Hide me!” Ibuki squeaked as she ducked behind Nagito. 

“I think he still knows you’re there…” Nagito murmured to her. Hajime growled low in his throat and looked right by Nagito like he wasn’t there to find her. “Told you.”

Ibuki screamed and ran inside the hospital, Hajime giving chase. 

“How am I gonna do this… m-maybe I can get Gundham to help,” Mikan whimpered to herself before she walked inside as well. Usami sighed.

“We should probably go wait in the lobby,” she said.

“Yeah.”

Nagito opened the door for Usami and followed her inside. They sat down in a couple of the creaky chairs in the lobby.

“You said you found him in the middle of the night?” Nagito asked. Usami nodded.

“Yeah, he was in the market, all alone and naked and he attacked me and-”

“Wait, he was naked too?”

“Yeah. I don’t know what happened, it’s like he was adopted by wolves overnight! I didn’t even recognize him at first with his new hair.”

“Don’t think any of us did.”

The two sat in silence as they waited for Mikan to come back out.

~~

Mikan wrapped up Ibuki’s wrist and gave her a bag of ice in only a couple of minutes, but she ended up standing outside Hajime’s door for longer out of fear alone. 

“Okay, Mikan, he’s just like any other p-patient, he’s just a little… rowdy. Y-yeah, that’s it, no problem, none at all…” she tried to cheer herself up. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door gently. “U-um… Hajime? Are you still in there? Do you have your robe on?” Mikan asked. “Is it okay if I co-” Hajime opened the door himself, startling Mikan and making her stumble into the wall behind her. “Hajime! Y-you scared me!” She pushed herself upright and brushed off her skirt. “C-can I come in? I-I just need to ask you a few questions, that’s all…” she told him, her voice getting softer and softer as she spoke. He closed the door. Before Mikan could even react, he opened it again, looking at her expectantly. “I, um, okay…” She walked past him into the room.

Hajime shut the door once she walked in. 

“Okay, so… w-what seems to be the problem?” Mikan asked. No response. “Um, why aren’t you answering me? You can still talk, right? Hajime?”

“Hajime…” he repeated slowly.

“Y-yeah, that’s your name. Don’t you remember?” When he didn’t respond once again, Mikan gasped in realization. 

“T-that’s it! You have amnesia! But if that’s true, then what happened to your appearance?” She walked over and stood in front of him, bending down to get a closer look at his face. He moved back a little, watching her nervously. “I-I won’t touch you, I’m just looking!” She quickly assured him. “There are no external injuries b-besides the cut. Your eyes are red… were they always? Do we have any drugs on this island?” 

Mikan moved away from Hajime and started pacing the floor, weighing her options; not that she had very many. She could try and do his bloodwork to check for any abnormalities, but that would require some physical reinforcement. She could keep him under watch just to observe him, but that would be exhausting and potentially dangerous. And lastly, she could try medication for Alzheimer’s patients. As ludicrous as it sounded, the first option seemed the least risky.

“O-okay, Hajime, I’ll be right back, don’t move, okay?” The blank stare was slowly becoming a staple. “Right, okay.” Mikan closed the door and went over to the lobby, where Nagito and Usami waited.

“How is he?” Nagito asked.

“I’m not entirely sure what’s going on with him, but I am pretty sure he has amnesia. He sounded confused at his own name,” Mikan explained. “For his behavior, I was thinking of doing bloodwork for any trace of drugs.”

“That’s what I said!” Usami declared.  
“B-but I need help with him! He’s obviously aggressive!” Mikan quickly added. “U-Usami, he likes you, can you come with me?”

“Sure! Anything to help my student feel better!” she chirped, hopping down and off her chair. “Um, no offense, Nagito, but could you stay here?”

“Of course,” Nagito said. “I don’t know how he’d react to such an ugly sight an-”

“Okay, thank you!”

Usami followed Mikan down the hall to Hajime’s room. She opened the door and let Usami in first. Hajime perked up at the sight of her.

"Hi, Hajime!" She waved. Hajime waved back slowly, like he was making sure he was doing it right.

"U-um, okay, Hajime, I'm just gonna do a quick test and, Usami's here to make you feel better," Mikan told him. Usami jumped up on a chair next to Hajime's bed. Mikan got her equipment ready while Usami was giving him words of encouragement, not that he understood any of them. Mikan rolled up Hajime's sleeve and he lurched back. Usami pat his hand and he relaxed. Mikan wiped an alcohol-soaked cotton ball on the crook of his arm and he hissed at the cold. She took his elbow and slowly put the syringe's needle inside of it, only for him to hiss again and try to squirm away. "H-Hajime, please sit still!" She used her other arm to try to keep him steady. When she finally got enough, she let him go and bandaged him up quickly. She put the lid on the tube and set it aside. Usami pat Hajime's bandaged arm and jumped down from the chair. Hajime looked at his bandages with intrigue and rubbed them softly.

"I guess it's no surprise that bandages are weird to him... I don't think he should stay in the hospital, there's a lot of dangerous things here that he could get into," Mikan told Usami.

"That makes sense. We should get him ready to go, then."

Mikan gave Hajime his clothes back and turned around. He was confused for a second but then remembered what to do with them.

After Hajime put his regular clothes back on, he touched Mikan's shoulder. When she turned around, he nuzzled his cheek against hers like he did with Usami. She squeaked and backed away.

"W-what was that for?!"

"He did that to me, too. I think it means he likes you!" Usami explained.

"R-really?" She smiled a little bit.

"Yeah! Come on, though, let's go back to Nagito!"

Mikan, Usami, and Hajime all walked out of the patient room and back into the lobby.

"Okay, um, I should have the test results by tomorrow," Mikan said. "He doesn't act like any addict I've ever seen though."

"Really? How did he act?" Nagito asked.

"Well, h-he tried to force me back when I took his arm out of his robe and hissed at the swab and needle, I don't think he knew what was happening..."

"And Usami said it was like he was adopted by wolves, so it seems like he's running on primal instinct alone... interesting. And there's no reason why?"

"None that I can think of," she replied disappointingly.

“Well, he shouldn't stay anywhere by himself, so do either of you want a pet Hajime?” Usami asked in a cheerful tone. Nagito stepped forward.

“I’ll do my best to take care of him. Assuming he’ll let me,” he said. 

“Okie-dokie! You were close to him, so he might remember you first anyway. But if there’s ever a problem, do not hesitate to let me know!” Usami replied.

“Will do.”

Nagito walked over to Hajime, who tilted his head in interest. “Um, how should I start this… Nagito,” he pointed at himself while saying his name slowly.

“Nagito,” Hajime repeated, pointing at him in confirmation.

“Yeah,” Nagito nodded with a smile. 

“Hajime!” Usami called. He looked over. “Usami!” She pointed at herself.

“M-Mikan,” she followed suit.

“Usami, Mikan,” Hajime repeated, looking at them respectively.

“He’s learning so quickly, I’m proud!” Usami declared in an upbeat tone.

“Yeah… I’d still like to know what happened to him, though,” Nagito remarked. Hajime looked back at him. All Nagito did was smile softly back as red stared into green.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter's 3 FINALLY out, sorry it took a while guys, I've been working on it off and on, doesn't help when you know what you WANT to say but when you go to type it your brain magically lags like a fucking dial-up lmao  
> I'm gonna try to come up with a decent posting schedule, hopefully in tandem with that other special story I mentioned. I'm thinking maybe a chapter of this once a week and a chapter of the other one the next week, or maybe both once a week? idk I'll figure it out lol  
> (also I promise the next chapter will be way more entertaining this was really more of a context chapter okay bye)


	4. Culture Shock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I WANTED this out for Hajime's birthday *insert clown emoji here cause idk if AO3 processes it* but I've been, what the kids call, going through it™ lately, so that's why it's so delayed. I'm trying to get back on track tho, so enjoy the next chapter!

Everybody left the hospital once Mikan officially discharged Hajime. Nagito decided to take Hajime back to his cottage. Along the way, Hajime was incessantly pointing at things.

“That’s a tree,” Nagito told him.

Again.

“Rock.”

And again.

“Grass.”

Hajime repeated each word as Nagito said them, committing them to memory. Nagito couldn’t help but be amused at his determination to learn, or rather re-learn, about everything around him. 

The two made their way to the first island, where Nagito led Hajime to the cottages. Hajime stopped at his own, recognizing it.

“Here, this is my cottage,” Nagito called out. “A couple down from yours,” he explained, gesturing to the door. Hajime, however, was distracted by Nagito’s picture on the mailbox. “What is it?” He followed Hajime’s line of sight. “Oh, we all have those. So we know whose cottage is whose. My picture shows it’s my cottage. Er, Nagito’s cottage,” he reiterated. 

“Nagito’s cottage,” Hajime nodded.

_ ‘At least something clicked.’ _

Nagito opened the door and let Hajime walk in first. Hajime looked around. Nagito’s cottage was bigger than his; he had enough room for a couch and bookshelf, in addition to his bed and closet. What caught his attention the most, though, was the large TV mounted on a shelf in front of the bed. He saw that Nagito had the same small wall-mounted monitor that…  _ was _ in Hajime’s cottage. Why did he need two?

“Oh, did you wanna watch TV?” Nagito asked. He picked the remote up off the table and pushed the power button. Hajime jolted when the screen came on. A nature documentary was playing, showing vibrant ocean life with a soothing voice narrating over the footage. He growled at the TV and went to punch it. Nagito grabbed his arm right before it collided with the screen.

“Whoa, easy there! What are you doing?” Nagito asked. Hajime glared at the TV, panting. Nagito looked back. “Ohhh. Hajime, it’s not real. See?” He tapped on the screen with his knuckle. Hajime tilted his head and did the same. The only response he got was the sound of his knuckle touching the screen. 

“Yeah, a lot of people watch TV for fun,” Nagito said. He pushed a button and the channel changed. “Push this button if you wanna change it,” he pointed out the button before handing the remote to Hajime. “I’ll be back in a moment.” Nagito walked off into the bathroom and shut the door.

_ ‘Can you see where the bridge is?’ A high-pitched cheery voice asked. _ Hajime switched the channel.  _ ‘We’re in for cloudy skies with a mild chance of rain-’  _ Click.  _ ‘Please welcome our special guest, Jun-’  _ Click.  _ ‘-now we just need to add a dash of cilantro and-’  _ Click.

_ A man and a woman stood outside in the rain. The man held an umbrella above them as the two looked at each other longingly. Neither of them said a word before the man stepped forward and gently kissed the woman on the lips. ‘I love you’, he told her. ‘I love you too,’ she replied in a soft tone. _

Hajime tilted his head in wonder. He had never seen anything like that before. 

Nagito came out of the bathroom and walked over to him.

“Did you find something that you-” 

Nagito was interrupted by Hajime cupping his cheeks and giving him a soft kiss. Nagito’s eyes flew open wide. He stumbled back once Hajime pulled away. 

“I love you,” Hajime said bluntly. Nagito’s cheeks flared a soft pink.

“You… huh?” He looked away nervously. His eyes stopped at the TV and saw the couple that Hajime had previously watched kissing again. “O-oh, you, um. Hajime, y-you don’t just do that with anyone,” he told him, shaking his head. “That’s only for someone really special to you.”

“Only for someone special to you,” Hajime repeated.

“Yeah, so it definitely wouldn’t be for someone as lowly as me. Maybe if you had a girlfriend or… oh, I guess you would forget about all that stuff too.” 

Nagito would be lying if he said he  _ never _ imagined kissing Hajime, but this was nowhere near the circumstances he pictured it occurring. He didn’t have too much time to think about before Usami’s nighttime announcement came on.

_ “Everyone, it’s night time! Please get plenty of rest so you can do your very best again tomorrow! Good night…”  _ She said before the monitor turned off.

“Nighttime already, huh? Are you tired? Uh, sleep?” Nagito closed his eyes and laid his head against his hands to show.

“Sleep,” Hajime nodded. He walked over, laid down on the couch, curled up like a cat, and draped his hair over himself. 

“Is that how you’ll sleep? You can take the bed,” Nagito offered, patting it. 

“Nagito’s cottage,” Hajime reminded him.

“Yeah, it’s mine, but I’m still offering it, anyway. I know it’s not much of anything, especially since it belongs to me, but it’s probably better than the couch.” He pat it again.

Hajime thought silently for a moment. He got up and went to lay on the bed. Nagito smiled softly and started to walk to the couch, but was stopped by a hand wrapping around his wrist and tugging him back forcefully. 

“Huh?”

“Nagito’s cottage,” Hajime said as he gestured to the bed.

“Are you saying you… want me to sleep with you in the bed?” 

Hajime lifted the blankets and looked up at him expectantly. Nagito never got that of a good look before, but were Hajime’s eyes always so… wide? Not only did their new red hue glow unnaturally, but his eyes also seemed to be trying to bulge out of his head from sheer will. Hypnotizing objects, they were. No matter how much he wanted to, Nagito couldn’t say no while he looked into them. He finally conceded and laid down in the bed. 

Hajime put the blankets back over him and Nagito. He wriggled around for a moment to settle in before going still and closing his eyes. It seemed like no time at all before Hajime started making a noise comparable to snoring. Nagito laughed, covering his mouth to muffle himself. Weirdly enough, Nagito found the noise soothing and fell asleep much quicker than he would have on any regular night.

~~

After the morning announcement came on, Nagito opened his eyes to find Hajime hovering over him. He startled and nearly fell out of the bed.

“Hajime? How long have you been awake?”

“Good morning,” he replied. He got up off of him and opened the front door. 

“Alright, just give me a minute…” Nagito sat up and stretched as Hajime looked at him bewildered. He put his arms up and pushed until his back audibly popped. He curled up and hissed at the sensation. Nagito laughed and got out of the bed. 

“Let’s go, then,” he said.

~~

Nagito and Hajime walked over to the restaurant together.

“Here, you sit down; I can get a plate for us,” Nagito told Hajime. Hajime walked over to their normal table by the window and sat down in one of the booths. Nagito came back only a minute or two later.

_ ‘How did he know which one to pick?’  _ Nagito thought as he set their plates down.

A short and chubby chef approached their table with a bowl in his hands.

“Hey there! I had heard that Hajime was sick, so I thought I might bring him something to eat and offer my well-wishes,” he said with a toothy smile as he set the steaming bowl of soup down in front of Hajime.

“Thank you, Teruteru,” Nagito said. Hajime looked down at the bowl in interest. “It’s food, Hajime, you eat it,” he told him. He made a quick eating motion with his hand to show him. 

“Okay,” Hajime nodded in understanding. Teruteru gasped and looked on in horror as Hajime scooped up some of the stew in his fist and ate what he managed to grab.

“Y-you fiend! That stew contains some of the finest ingredients on this earth! I gave you a spoon for a reason, chile, don’t ‘cha try to be a ruffian, now!” A thick accent gradually became more and more present as he ranted. “You don’t deserve ma cookin’ if this is how ya treat it!” He pulled the bowl away from Hajime, only to dump it on himself. “... y’ain’t seen anything!” 

Teruteru stomped off, flailing his arms dry. 

“N-Nagito! Hajime!”

They both looked over to see Mikan walking over to their table. 

“M-may I sit here?” She asked.

“Of course,” Nagito said. Mikan smiled and sat in Nagito’s side of the booth. “Do you have the test results?” he asked her. Mikan shook her head.

“T-the machine wouldn’t even recognize that there was blood in it. I thought it might have been broken, but I tried one of the b-blood pouches in the fridge and it worked just fine,” she explained.

“So it only wouldn’t work with Hajime’s blood.”

“I-I-I’m sorry, I don’t k-know how to fix it! I already told Usami about it, and she said Kazuichi might look at it, b-but…” she interrupted herself with her own crying, hiding her face in her hands.

“Mikan,” Hajime said.

“Y-yes?” She asked before a sniffle.

Hajime took her hand in his, which she jumped in surprise to. He stared at her intently for a few moments and her crying slowly began to cease. Nagito looked between them, confused. And was it just him or was Hajime’s hair… starting to float as he did that?

“W-wow, I… I don’t know what you did, but I-I feel a bit better now. Thank you, Hajime,” Mikan said with a smile. “I-I’ll be going now, bye-bye!” She said suddenly, dashing off before either of them could respond to her.

“Bye-bye,” Hajime echoed with a slight wave. Nagito smiled after her.

“She may seem odd, but it can only be common sense that those with the title of Ultimate stand out from all the others,” Nagito said. “After all, the brightest hope stands out even among the very best.”  _ A lot like you.  _ “...Well, don’t let the ramblings of a nobody get to you. I’ll be on my way, too.”

Nagito stood up and turned towards the door.

“Hajime go with Nagito.” He immediately stood up from the table.

“Surely being together with me all this time has exhausted you by now,” Nagito replied.

“No. Hajime go.”

“R-really? Wow! I’m honored you want to spend so much time with me!” he exclaimed, beaming. “Though that could just be your sickness talking…”

~~

“This is where I spend most of my time. I like the quiet.”

Nagito had taken Hajime to the library. He showed him around the place, showing him each section of books, the computer lab, and any other object that captured Hajime’s interest. Hajime had walked over to a short shelf on the floor with colorful covers facing outward. 

“Oh, are those picture books? I never noticed those before. I don’t suppose you remember how to read, do you?”

Hajime’s eyes widened when he saw a particular one. He picked up the book and examined the cover closely. The picture showed a young girl sitting on a boat and looking down into the water at another girl who had a tail poking out.

“Do you like mermaids?”

“Mermaids?”

“Yeah, mermaids,” Nagito pointed out the creature on the cover. “Oh, here.” He showed Hajime how to turn the page. The book told a story about a mermaid that met a human on a boat. The two became friends and visited each other every day, until one day the human’s boat tipped over, submerging them underwater. The mermaid was afraid for her friend until, to her surprise, she saw the human had grown a tail of her own. Their happily ever after was spent at sea.

“Mermaids,” Hajime said, running his hand over the final picture of the two girls swimming together.

“Yeah, there are a lot of mermaid stories out there. Some make them out to be beautiful, while others portray them as monsters. Don’t worry though, I don’t think we’ll ever see a mermaid,” Nagito said with a laugh. He glanced out the window to see the sun setting. “Have we really spent so much time in here? Maybe it’s time we go home.”

“Okay, yes,” Hajime agreed. He looked at the book in his hands for another moment before he tucked it under his arm and followed Nagito out. 

~~

Nagito slept soundly that night, but Hajime couldn’t. He found himself suddenly in pain right as it struck midnight. He shuddered and scratched at his skin. A small piece of it flaked off with little effort. He knew he was drying out. He needed to go to the water soon, but he couldn’t just  _ leave _ . 

He looked out the window and saw the ocean, ready and waiting. 


End file.
